Jaclyn McCosker

May 6 30 Low Impact Tips for #lowimpact30 in May

This May, blogger Sustainably Vegan is running a #lowimpact30 challenge to celebrate the Low Impact Movement. Immy provides a free ebook you can download with a summary of low impact living, with the goal to decrease your environmental footprint.

Through zero waste swaps, consuming less and eating plantbased diets, we can drastically reduce our impact on the world to a small fraction of the impact we used to have.

Below are a quick thirty tips for you to take a scroll through, find something you haven't tried yet, and have a go at lowering your impact this May. It's a great time to get involved in the online community.

Quit single-use coffee cups, permanentlyIf you need takeaway you can re-use a jar you have at home or purchase a reusable coffee cup

Practice saying "no straw please" when you orderIf you need a straw you can carry your own glass, paper, silicone, bamboo or stainless steel option, or even keep a stash of your own plastic if it's for medical reasons while continuing to discourage non-essential plastic waste

Enjoy a sit-down mealSave the disposable packaging by asking for real cups, plates and cutlery to eat where you order food

Ask to take a doggybag homeSave edible food from going to landfill by finishing food you've already paid for

Create your own zero waste kitBefore you buy anything new, go around your kitchen and find what reusable water bottles, cutlery, napkins and tupperware you already have to avoid single-use packaging when eating out

Save your soft plastics and electronicsSave your items that can't go in the curbside recycling bin for specialised recycling services like Redcycle for soft plastics and your local dump or drop-off point for e-waste

Practice a capsule wardrobeTo get the most out of your wardrobe and avoid textile waste, practice a capsule wardrobe to reinvent the same items of clothing in different combinations

Shop unpackaged or recyclable packaging groceriesEven without bulk stores, you can make small choices between things like plastic-packaged or cardboard packaged pasta

Quit seafood, permanentlyThe United Nations predicts ocean fish will be extinct within thirty years, so there are no fishing practices that are considered sustainable anymore

Quit red meat and dairy, permanentlyThe United Nations has urged the entire world to move away from animal agriculture to prevent global collapse since cattle livestock is considered the largest contributor to human-led climate change (everyone know this means beef but commonly forget that dairy is included in this, too)

Eat locally and seasonallyConsider what grows naturally in your area and see if you can plan your diet around local foods that are currently in season to cutdown on resources needed to import your food

Store your leftovers well without plasticTo tackle food waste, take the time to research the best ways to extend longevity of your vegetables and invest in glass or steel food storage products

DIY your own foodCan you make some of your favourite packaged items at home like tomato sauce, tortillas and cheeses?

Try compostingSmall kitchen bench composts can be accessible to even inner-city apartment dwellers if you can find somewhere to dispose of the contents (anything from an empty ice cream tub to collect scraps or a fully contained compost bin)

Repurpose packagingSave gift wrapping for re-using on future gifts, parcel packaging for re-use on future parcels you have to send, and food packaging to store food leftovers

Support local makersJust like eating locally, it's great to try and buy products made as locally as possible, and look for that Made in Australia tag to avoid the air miles of any item you buy

What other actions are you taking to reduce your enviromental impact on the world this May?